Car-wheel



,(No Model.)

W. E. SMITH CAR WHEEL.

No. 408,266. Patented Aug. 6, 1889.

whims aw UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

lVI-IEELER E. SMITH, OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS.

I CAR-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,266, dated August6, 1889.

Application filed April 20, 1889. Serial No. 307,999. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, \VHEELER E. SMITH, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Little Rock, in the county ofPulaski, State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in OarJVheels, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention has relation to car or other wheels, and particularly tothat class where the rim and web are cast separable, the main object ofthe invention beingthe provision of a wheel which when one part is wornout that part can be quickly and easily replaced without the necessityof taking the axle out from under the car and pressing the old wheel offand new one on. Other objects are to provide a wheel which, whenconstructed as above, can be manufactured at a minimum cost and at thesame time be light, strong, and serviceable. Other objects andadvantages of the invention will appear in the following description,and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in theclaim.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wheel, theweb thereof being shown in dotted lines and ready for insertion inplace. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the web detached from the wheel;and Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a wheel constructed in accordancewith my invention.

Like letters of reference indicate similar parts in all the figures ofthe drawings.

A represents the rim or outer portion of a wheel, the inner periphery ofwhich is provided with suitable lugs or shoulders projecting at suitabledistances therefrom, the object of which will be later apparent. One ormore of the lugs or shoulders A are provided with a groove or slot A agroove being shown in this instance.

B is the web of the wheel, provided with the usual spokes and journalfor the reception of the axle. (Not shown.) The spokes of the web areprovided on their ends with lugs or shoulders 13, which are groovedtheir entire length, as at B to receive the lugs A on the rim A, whichare adapted to fit snugly One or more of the shoulders or therein.

lugs are slotted to receive a-set-screw or wedge, the function of whichis to hold the web securely in place in the rim.

The operation involved in placing the web in the rim is as follows: Theweb is placed in the rim, the shoulders or lugs on the spokes of the webbeing between those formed on the rimthat is, in the position indicatedby dotted linesin Fig. 1. The web is then. turned in the directionindicated by the arrow (the groove in the shoulder B receiving theshoulder A of the rim) until the slot B in the shoulder B is oppositethe groove A formed in the lug A. The wedge-pin (or other suit ablefastening device) O is then driven in the slot B passing through, thegroove A thus holding the web securely in place within the rim.

In Fig. 2 I have shown by dotted circle the invention applied to adisk-web, which is equally advantageous to a spoke-web.

I am aware that it is not new to provide a wheel-rim with lugs tointerlock by means of a dovetail joint with lugs on the web or spokes,and do not seek to cover such construction, broadly. I deem it importantthat other means should be used than the frictional engagement of theparts or of soft metal poured in between the joints, as has beenproposed. These means should be made removable for convenience inassembling or separating the parts. By my construction all evil resultsattending the expansion and contraction of the wheel are avoided.

Vhat I claim is The combination, with a rim of a wheel having shoulderson its inner periphery, some of which are grooved transversely, of a webprovided with lugs grooved on their periphery to receive the shoulderson the rim, and slotted transversely, and retaining means passed throughsaid slots and into the grooves in the shoulders on the rim,substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I a div m y signature in presence of two witnesses.

WHEELER E. SMITH.

Witnesses:

N. W. 00X, J. F. OIIAIR.

